Breakaway basketball rim assemblies typically include a spring energy basketball goal/backboard unit incorporated into a conventional vertically aligned backboard and horizontally aligned goal, i.e., the basket. The goal can be spring mounted to pivot relative to the backboard forwardly and downwardly out of its normal horizontal plane when a predetermined excess force is applied such as when a player dunks the basketball and slaps, hits or pulls the goal with his hands, wrists, or arms. The goal may then return to its original position with the spring energy of the return motion being dissipated by the spring portion. Provision can also be made for the goal to deflect sideward. The spring portion providing the return forces may be mounted in front of the backboard and connected to the goal by members extending though openings in the backboard.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,716,294 and 6,080,071 disclose a breakaway basketball rim assembly in which there is a release assembly which operably interconnects the base member and the rim member. The release assembly is configured to release the rim member in response to a downward load that is received at any point along an extended frontal arc of the circular hoop, so that the hoop tilts downwardly generally in the direction of the load. There is also a reaction load mechanism for returning the hoop to its horizontal playing position. A U-shaped fulcrum joint extends between the reaction load in the hoop so as to provide a pivot point in line between the reaction load and any impact point along the extended frontal arc of the hoop. The joint is configured so that the rim releases in response to a substantially identical impact load anywhere along the frontal arc.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,447,409 discloses another breakaway basketball rim assembly with a mounting unit with a vertical base plate and a horizontal mounting plate, and a rim unit having a circular hoop portion and a pivot plate that projects rearwardly from the hoop portion in spaced relation above the mounting plate. A ball bearing is positioned between the pivot plate and the mounting plate to provide the pivot point for releasing the rim unit when a downward load is placed upon the hoop portion. At least one stop is placed on top of the mounting plate to restrict the movement of the pivot plate and load a plurality of spring-loaded attachments that extend from the pivot plate through the mounting plate to return the rim unit to a generally horizontal position.
Despite the various features and benefits of the structures of the forgoing disclosures, there remains a need for an inexpensive, compact basketball rim support that permits controlled deflection of the rim in a variety of directions, while maintaining the rim at the conventional position during any normal impact between a basketball and the rim, and includes an automatic return mechanism for returning the rim to its original position without have to resort to any manual reset of that position.